Our strength & His love

There's so much hope in the Bible.  I think of the many ways we can see God's character, what He thinks about us.  It always gives me strength.

Psalm 147

There's so much to praise God for!  I praise Him that I haven't had a migraine in a year. : )  I praise Him for the baby bunnies and squirrels I saw playing out back this morning.  I praise Him for His Word.  I could go on for sure...

1 Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,

how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

This is a prophecy of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation, chapter 21.  He will rebuild Jerusalem and gather the exiles, we get to go too.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

he gathers the exiles of Israel.

God heals our hearts when our hopes are dashed.  When we are broken and bruised.  So many times, He has done this for me.  I tend to run full blast into new ideas and, well, sometimes it's not the right direction : )

3 He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars

and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;

his understanding has no limit.

Humility is important to God.  I guess none of us like to be around arrogant, know it alls.  As God, He must find this particularly annoying. 

6 The Lord sustains the humble

but casts the wicked to the ground.

It reminds me of the widow that put in 2 cents in the Temple treasury.  Jesus applauded her actions.  It's one of my favorite stories.  I think it's because, He knows when we've given everything.  He sees, and cheers.  God knows when we're lagging behind too, and He still cheers.  I'll never forget trying to run around the bases with the other kids in school.  I could never keep up.  I've never been very coordinated or very athletic.  The other kids ran off to play, while I was still trying to run.  But, my teacher stayed behind cheering me on.  God's like that only He's always there. 

Mark 12:42-44
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
NIV®

Singing to the Lord in praise is like cheering Him on!  I don't know if He ever gets discouraged, but I know He never gives up.

7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;

make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;

he supplies the earth with rain

and makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the cattle

and for the young ravens when they call.

Remember this verse.  It's one of my favorites:

Zechariah 4:6
‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty
NIV®

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,

who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;

praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates

and blesses your people within you.

14 He grants peace to your borders

and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wooland scatters the frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.

Who can withstand his icy blast?

18 He sends his word and melts them;

he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

Then later He sent Jesus to be our sacrifice.  And invited anyone who would believe, including us.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,

his laws and decrees to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation;

they do not know his laws.

Praise the Lord.

New International Version®. NIV®.